MOSCOW, November 12. /TASS/. Russia’s Defense Ministry ordered an additional batch of cutting-edge Tsirkon hypersonic missiles, a source close to the military agency told TASS.

"As reported earlier, the first contract to produce a batch of Tsirkons was signed in the summer of 2021. An additional contract - this fall," the source said without indicating the exact date.

According to the source, the additional contract involves several dozen missiles and should be completed in 2023.

TASS has no official confirmation of the information provided by the source yet.

Earlier, the missile’s state trials were held using a surface carrier, the Northern Fleet’s frigate Admiral Gorshkov. In 2021, Russia began the first tests of the weapon from an underwater carrier, the nuclear-powered submarine Severodvinsk. In early November, TASS reported that a mobile coastal launcher for the missile had been designed and produced.

The Tsirkon hypersonic missile was developed and is produced by the Research and Production Association of Machine-Building (NPO Mashinostroeniya, part of the Tactical Missiles Corporation) in Reutov in the Moscow Region.